Salute to a president goes on

By Matthew Hamilton

Published 8:33 pm, Saturday, October 5, 2013

Reenactor Jim Verhagen of Watervliet, portraying a Union infantryman from the Civil War, walks by President Chester Alan Arthur's grave on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. Verhagen offered his services when he learned of the scaled-back service to honor the president's birthday. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Reenactor Jim Verhagen of Watervliet, portraying a Union...

A wreath ordered by the White House decorates President Chester Alan Arthur's grave on his birthday on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

A wreath ordered by the White House decorates President Chester...

A wreath ordered by the White House decorates President Chester Alan Arthur's grave on his birthday on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

A wreath ordered by the White House decorates President Chester...

Members of the Captain William Dale O'Brien Detachment of the Marine Corps League performs color guard duty during a scaled-down ceremony to President Chester Alan Arthur on his birthday on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. From left are Capt. Williams Keyes, Pete Grobecker and Mick DellaValle. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Members of the Captain William Dale O'Brien Detachment of the...

Members of the Captain William Dale O'Brien Detachment of the Marine Corps League performs color guard duty during a scaled-down ceremony to President Chester Alan Arthur on his birthday on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. From left are Thomas DeMeo, in red jacket, Pete Grobecker, Capt. William Keyes, and Mick DellaValle. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Members of the Captain William Dale O'Brien Detachment of the...

Norman Rice of Albany, a cemetery trustee, attends a scaled-down ceremony for President Chester Alan Arthur on his birthday on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Norman Rice of Albany, a cemetery trustee, attends a scaled-down...

Friends Christopher McLean, 16, center, and Stephen JeanPierre, 16, both of Latham, pose for a photo by Stephen's mother, Norma JeanPierre, following a ceremony for President Chester Alan Arthur on his birthday on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, N.Y. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Verhagen volunteered to help with the annual ceremony at Arthur's tomb in Albany Rural Ceremony after reading Friday's Times Union story about how the federal government shutdown meant the normal color guard ceremony involving the New York Army National Guard wouldn't go on as usual. The ceremony, held Saturday morning, went on anyway with a Marine Corps veteran color guard, a short history lesson and Verhagen's musket shot.

Verhagen, a Civil War re-enactor from Watervliet, said he told cemetery general manager John Buszta on Friday afternoon that he wanted to be a part of the annual event and would offer his services for free.

Buszta obliged, and Verhagen fired a volley shot following a moment of silence for the 21st president, who died in 1886 at age 57. His monument at Albany Rural Cemetery was dedicated in 1889.

Verhagen said he was the only one who could attend from his troupe of re-enactors, Kepi and Muskets, which has members from around the area and country. He said the group's cannon couldn't be brought in time for the ceremony, but he offered the group's services again for next year.

"I was very honored to do that in memory of the president of the United States," Verhagen, who dressed in a blue Union Army uniform, said of his shot.

The only evidence of normal governmental involvement with the ceremony was a wreath the White House sent to rest on Arthur's grave. While Verhagen said the memorial was still a nice ceremony, he called the bickering in Washington that put it in jeopardy ludicrous and said lawmakers are hurting Americans.

"I love America, and I'd do anything for it, but our politicians are making us look stupid in the rest of the world's eye," he said.